Page:Vermin killer (1).pdf/20

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must take after this manner; cut down the main branch or bough of any bushy tree, whose branch and twigs are long, thick, smooth, and straight, without either pricks or knots, of which the willow, or birch tree are the best; when you have picked it and trimmed it from all superfluity, making the twigs neat and clean, then take the best bird-lime, well mixed and wrought together with goose grease, or capons grease, which, being warmed, lime every twig there with within four fingers of the bottom.

The body from whence these branches have their rise must be untouched with lime.

Be sure you do not daub your twigs with too much lime, for that will give distaste to the birds, yet let none want its proportion, or have any part left bare which onght to be touched; for as too much will deter them from coining, so too little will not hold them when they are there. Having so done, place your bush in some quickset or dead hedge near nnto towns ends, back yards, old houses, or the like: for these are the resort of small birds in the spring time; in the summer and harvest in groves, bushes, or white thorn trees, quickset hedges near corn fields, fruit trees, flax, and hemp lands; and in the winter about houses, hovels, barns, stacks, or other places where stand ricks of corn, or scattered chaff, &c.

As near as you can to any of these haunts, plant your lime bush, and plant yourself also at a convenient distance undiscovered, imitating with your mouth several notes of birds, which you must learn by frequent practice, walking the fields for that purpose very often, observing the variety of several birds sounds, especially such as they call one another by.

Some have been so expert herein, that they could imitate the notes of twenty several sorts of birds at least, by which they have caught ten birds to another's oue that was ignorant therein.

If you cannot attain it by your industry, you must buy then a bird call, of which there are several sorts,